Guard for leather-pressing machines



May 18 1926.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. W. HERKEL ET AL GUARD FOR LEATHER PRESSING MACHINES Flled Dec 1 1922 May 8 1926. 1,585,535

. J. W. HERKEL. ET AL GUARD FOR LEATHER PRESSING MACHINES H Filed Dec. 1, 1922. I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 T451 2 l H -1 :1 FFFI l l l I I I 1 I VENT B ATTORN EY May 18 1926.

J. W. HERKEL ET AL GUARD FOR LEATHER PRESSING MACHINES Fil'ed Dec. 1.

1922' 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY rs- .a rh in JOE-1 W. I-IERKEL, 01' MIDDLEVILLE. AND JAMES D. IVIGQQY, OF LITTLE FALLS, NEW YORK" GUARD FOR LEATHER-PRESSING MACHINES.

Application filed December Our invention relates to a guard for a leather pressing machine and we declare the following to be a full, clear, concise and exact description thereof sutlicient to enable anyone skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings .in which like reference characters refer to like parts tln'oughout the specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a guard for a leather pressing); machii'ie that will be positive in action, whereby to not only warn the operator of approaching danger, but also to prevent the operator trom insertinghis hands within the danger zone when the machine is in operation. The benefit of such a guard will be. apparent in view of the fact that persons operating leather pressing machines oftentimes attempt, at the last moment, to smooth out the leather placed on the vertically movable table thereof even after the machine has been placed in operation and the table begun to move upward with fatal results to their hands. The invention is designed, there- 'lore, to prevent such fatal injuries and will be understood-by referring to the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view or": a leather pressing machine showing the guard mechanism attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the leather pressing machine, showing the guard mech anism attached, parts of the machine being in fragment;

Fin: 3 is an enlarged detail view, showing a side elevation of the clutch mechanism employed;

Fig. 1 is a. detail view, showing a perspective of the guard mechanism separated from the leather pressing machine.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view, showing a perspective of an adjustable turn buckle employed Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of a triction stop employed.

Fig. 7 is a detailperspective view somewhat enlarged of a ,mutilatedcani;employed.

Fig. 8 is a sectional detailviewof the up-v per end of a curved forked member em; ployed' and cooperating connecting plate.

Fig. 9 is a detail enlarged view showing a PGFSPQCtlX S of a spring-use l.

l ieterringmore particularly to the drawinst, a. leatlisnpre siag,m chine of; e l-.1v

1, 1922. Serial No. 604,223.

known construction is represented by 1. Said machine has a vertically movable table 2 and a stationary presser overhead The movable guard 4, which is attached to said machine is novel and embodies four side members 5 fastened together in any suitable manner. Said sides 5 are made preferably otheavy card board or still fabric, whereby to yield su'liieiently to allow for the withdrawal of the hand of the operator or other object therewithin and under conditions to be hereinafter stated.

The mechanism for actuating; guard 41- is the same on eachside of the machine. Two of the opposite sides 5 are extended on opposite ends at 10, 10 to which are attached the opposite adjustable ends 11 of the ClliVQt forked members 12, 12. Teeth 11 are formed on the upper edge of members 12, 12, in each instance, whereby to engage the counter teeth 11 formed in plate 11 bolted to the side 5. A bolt 11 projects through an enlarged recess 11 formedin the upper edge of member 12 and through a corresponding recess in plate 11 whereby to hold the parts in given adjusted position. The other ends of members 12, 12 are secured, in each instance, in suitable recesses in an adjustable. housing member 13 by means of set screws 12. Member 13 is equipped; with a central recess for the projection therethrough of the vertically movable rod 15 to which member it is held by bolts 16, 16. Rod 15 is adapted to slide in guide recesses formed in bracket 17 attached to the side edge of the movable table 2.

Rod 15 carries a pin 20 adapted to. strike pawl 21 fulcrumed at 22 to bracket 23 attached to the frame of machine 1. Bracket 23 has a projecting member 23 through which rod 15 is guided. Pawl 21 is free to turn on its fulcrum 22. One end thereof, as at 2 1, is made heavier than the other, whereby said end will be normally lowermost under the attraction of. gravity; Moreover, spring 27 is employed and attached to end 2d at one end and to keeper 58 at the-other to insure'the normal position of said pawl 21, wherebyits under edge willengrage recess 26 made in l101 lZ .)11t2ll' sliding bar 30. Bar 30 iscarrled in guide recesses in laterally projectinp; arms 31, 31 made on bracket 28 which is attached to the wall of the machine. Bar 30 is pivoted to me Malabar, scarie -d; o.

. one end to the lower part of link 46 and a;

"position of pawl at? and arm 51 when in,

projecting 'member 8% by a screw bolt 3 1 Member 34:

is united by a link 38 to slide rod 39 and by a link 40 to the lower end of auxiliary lever 41. Auxiliary lever 11 1S fulcrumed ac qaa cent its center portion upon a shaft. projecting laterally "from bracket 48 fixed to "the, frame of the machine.

The upper end of auxiliary lever 41 has several apertures for connecting the adjustable. end of linkatl which is pivoted also at the opposite end tothelower part eta pawl or iii 'er 4:7. Pawl 17 has a pin l8 terally therefrom, which pin 4E8 will protrude laterally into the path and come to rest normally against the upper dge of link 6, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. A spring 50 tnat is attached at one end to a pin fastened to pawl 17 and at the other to link 16, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, has its middle part coiled about the fulcrum of pawl 47, is adapted ,to draw the upper end 49 0t pawl t? towards the upper edge of link 4-6, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Another arm 51 is pivoted also at its oooosite end to deoendin member 52 of t J l a bracket 43. Pawl t7 and arm 51 "form a to}: "joint, whereby to pass over center ant tiereby stabilize the relative vertical full line position, as illustrated in Fig. In this full line position of pawl i? and arm 51 the upper end 49 of pawl 17 will rest against the shoulder formed at in vertically movable rod 15 and, thereby, hold said rod 15 in elevated: position. in which guard l: will be elevated, in order-to give tree accessto the surface of table'Q.

The upper end 4-9 of pawl t? is normally in en gement with shoulder 0t rod 15 and elevates said rod 15 when the toggle jointis returned to full line position illustrated in Fig. 2. Moreover, the upper end of pawl a? has projectingtherefrom in a lateral manner said pin 18 adapted to eny the lower surface of bar 56. l The opposite end or bar 56 is pivoted at 5? to the upper end of auxiliarylever ll and passes through the keeper 58 attached to the t'rame ot' the machine. on carries a fixed ac justable cam 59. The lower surface of cam 59 is adapted to ride over the anti friction roller 60 supported on a pin 61 carried in bearings formed in keeper 58 and inthe frame otthe machine 1, whereby to elevate the free end of bar 56 thatcarries the adjustable block in order to al ow pawl 4i" r set screw 63.

to more therepast after it has disengaged upper end 49 from shoulder 53.

Block 62 is-held in. place upon bar 56 by The lower surface of block 62 is beveled at 64; whereby to permit said block to ride over pin 18 while traveling in the reverse direction towards set position as shown in full lines in Fig. 2 and to prevent its )assagedn the other, unless elevated clear of p n 61 as shown in dotted lines in In order to break the fall of guard 4 when descending, a piston rod is attached to each of the members 13, 13 by projecting. up through apertures therein. Lock nuts "T l are used to hold rods 70 in aojusted position. The lower end of each piston rod '70 carries a piston 70 that plays in a cylinder 71 attached to the horizontal Jart 72 of bracket 17 l'doreover, each of the cylinders '71 is equipped at its lower part with a pet. cock 73, whereby to regulate the air pressure within the cylinder 71 and below the piston, in order to control the vo *ity withwhich said guard 1 descends. The mechanism for operating guard 4 is the same on each end of machine 1. The parts are connected, however, whereby to act simultaneously by rock shaft 37 carried in bearings 65, 65 attached to the frame of machine 1'. Rock shaft 37 has fixed at either end thereof to turn therewith levers In order to connect the aforesaid mechanism for operating guard 1 to the power con rolling 131 .11.38 01" the machine 1, link as stated above is pivoted to longitudinal n'aovable rod 39. One end of rod has an elongated aperture (36 for the projection therethroug h o't headed bolt 67 that is mounted to the frame ofthe machine and supports a friction stop member (37 held normally against ;rod 89 by coiled spring 67 Qiounted on bolt 67. The opposite end oi rod is pivoted at 68 to master lever 69 which is secured upon and mounted to turn idler shaft 80. Idler shaft of well known construction is connected to shaft 81 by link 82 and arm 83 extending from a collar 84- i'ixed to turnfwith shaft 81. Shaft 81 is connected bye link to a clutch mounted on the'powershaft..whereby the rocking of shaft- 81 will actuate the clutch to control the operation of the machine. The last named parts are not shown for the reason that they are well known as shown in pet ent to Bredenherg, issued'lilay 22, 1906, No. 821,079. Therefore the actuation 0t master lever 69 will rock also shaft 81. and as just described control the clutch for operating the machine. 7

A clutch QOhaViug a novel arm 91 adapted to extend into the patch of mutilated cam 92 is mounted to slide longitudinally upon shaft 80. Clutch is held in mesh with its counter part 93 by a coiled spring 9% surroundingshaft and bearing at one end against clutch and at the other against collar 95. Counter part 93 is adapted to turn with shaft 80. A link 96 is pivotally attachedto clutch 90 at one endand to one end of bell crank lever 97 at the other. Bell crank lever 97 is fulcrumed at 98 to a bracket 99 attached to machine 1. Its free end lies under the shank 100 of foot pedal 101 that is fulcrumed at 1.02 to machinev 1. llherefore, by pressing on pedal 101, lever 97 will be rocked to draw clutch 90away froi'n its counter part 93 and against the tension of coiled spring 94:, whereby to permit the free operation of machine 1. Cam 92 is mounted to rotate upon shaft 105 and is equipped with a shoulder 106 adapted to engage arm- 91 of clutch 90, when said clutch 90 is in mesh with its counter part 93, whereby to stop the operation of the machine after one revolution of shaft 105. However, if pedal 101 is kept depressed, clutch 90 will be withdrawn from its counter part 93 and arm 91 of said clutch 90 will be clear of cam 92, thereby allowing the free operation of machine 1 until pedal 101 is released again.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The operator first spreads the leather 110 to be pressed over the upper surface of vertically movable table 2 and after smoothing out any wrinkles grasps handle 11 of master level-09 and pulls the saine'towards the dotted line position illustrated in Fig, 2. During the first part of this movement, lever 69 will effect an actuation of bar 39, link 88,

lever 35, on one side of machine 1, rock shaft 37, lever 35 on the other side, and likewise links 40, 4t0, auxiliary levers all, ll, bars 56, 56, whereupon, adjust-able blocks 62, 62 will abut against pins as, 48 attached to hell crank arms "l7, l7 and push the upper ends 49, of said arms free from shoulders 53, formed in vertically movable arms 15, 15, whereby to allow guard 1- to descend. Arms 17 will be rocked to break the toggle joints and, thereafter, ultimately come to rest with pins 48 thereof resting; on the upper edges of links 46, 4L6, by coiled springs 50, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. More over, guard at will descend under proper rcstraint as controlled by the pistons in cylinders 71, 71.

During this movement, levers 35, 35 will actuate also horizontally movable bars 80,

30 which will slide under the lower edges 25, 25 of pawls 21, 21 until shoulders 26 of bars 30 are reached at which point, master lever 69 will be unable to move further, to throw in the clutch and start the operation of the machine unless guard 1 has descended to its full or covering position to prevent the insertion of a hand between table 2 and Presser overhead 3. As guard 4: reaches its bars 30. Thereafter master lever 69 can be pulled to its limiting position, whereby to continue the rocking of shafts 80 and S1 to throw in the clutch not shown that connects the power or clutchshaft also not shown of the machine with the operating pa not shown, whereby to cause talle 2 to V upward to press leather 110. Shoulu the operator desire to permit table 2 to move up ward several times without interruption, he will presspedal 101 in order to withdraw arm 91 of clutch 90 clear of cam 92, th s permitting machine 1 to operate until pedal 101 is released again.

Immediately pedal 101 is released, clutch 90 will go forward under press ire of coiled spring 9% and mesh with its counter part 93-. Arm 91 of clutch 90 will be, thereafter, in the path oi? rotary cam 92, whereby the stril'o ing of shoulder 106 of cam 92against arm 91 will rock automatically shaft 80, and, through link 82' and arm 83, shaft 81 and clutch, not shown to inoperative position.

The guard mechanism being connected to master lever 69 by movable rod 39 will return automatically to full line position illus trated in Fig. 2, when said master lever 69 returns.

It will be observed that should the operator have his hands between the upper surface of table 2 and overhead 3 when lever (59 is actuated, guard 4-; would be unable to descend to cause pins 20, carried by'rods 15, to release pawls' 21' and, thereby arrest the further movement of lever 69 to operative position. 'Should the operator get-his hand caught between the upper surface of table 2, descendingguard 4t, the sides 5, being}; made of heavy card board or stiff fabric will yield sufliciently to permit the operator to withdraw his hand.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is:

1. In a guard for leather pressing machines having pressing surfaces, and power controlling means, a member for enclosing the pressing surfaces, vertically movable rods attached to said member, means for permitting said member to fall and means for raising said member, whereby to move said member from operative to inoperative position, and air compressing means for controlling the descending motion of said member.

2. In a guard for leather pressing machines having pressing surfaces and power controlling means, a member adapted to enclose said pressing surfaces, vertically movable rods attached to said member, antomatic means for permitting the lowering of said member to enclose said pressing surfaces, before said surfaces come together, pistons for controlling the velocity of descent of said member, and lover means for automatically raising said member to inoperative position. I

3. In a guard for leather pressing machines having pressing surfaces and power controlling means, i. member adapted to enclose said pressing surfaces, vertically movablc. rods connected with said member,

toggle means for holding said rods in ,ele

vated position, means for permitting the breaking of said toggle means, whereby to lower said member to operative position, and pins carried by said vertically l'llC-V able rods, \i hcreby to release the operative mechanism of the machine.

in a guard for leather pressing inachines having pressing surfaces and power controlling means, member adapted to onclose said pressing surfaces, vertically movable rods connected intern'iediately with said member, toggle joints for holding said rods in elevated position, means for permitting the breaking of said toggle joints, whcrebyto lower said member to operative position, and automatic means for making said toggle joints, whereby to elevate said member. I I I In a guard for leather pressing machines having pressing surfaces and power pression means for governing the velocity of descent of said guard.

7. Ina guard for leather pressing machines having pressing surfaces and power controllino means, a guard for enclosing said pressing surfaces, means attached to said power controlling means for permitting the actuation of said guard under force of gravity toclosed position, pistons intermediately connected with said guard, and cylinders for the reception of said pistons, whereby to control the movement of said guard. I

8. in a guard for leather )rcssiug machines having pressing surfaces and power controlling means, a guard for enclosing said pressing surfaces, rods adapted to travel with said guard, means connecting rid guard with the power controlling means, whereby to permit the automatic actuation of said guard, pins carrier by said rods, and pawls actuated by said pins, whereby to release the power controlling means to operate the machine.

9. In a guard for leather pressing machines having pressing surfaces and power controlling means, a guard comprising four side members adapted to enclose the pressing surfaces, rods attached to move with said guard'means for permitting the actuation of said guard connected with the power controlling means, other means carried by said rods, and pawls actuated by said last named means whereby to release the power controlling means to operate the machine.

10. Ina guard for leather pressing machineshaving pressing surfaces and power controlling means, a guard, rods attached to-niove with. said guard, levers connected with the power controlling means, whereby to permit the actuation of the rods and guard in an automatic manner, and a clutch for allowing the power controlling means to operate the machine continuously, while the guard is in closed position. In testimony whereof we have signatures.

JOHN W. HERKEL. JAMES D. McCOY.

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